Here we are in the depths of one of the world’s greatest economic troughs, and HSBC cannot seem to muster a satisfactory level of customer service for businesses.

I visited HSBC at Canary Wharf, London, with two neighbours last week, to set up a business account for the property management company we have incorporated. We recently dragged our freeholder through the Right to Manage (RTM) process, whereby leaseholders can get rid of the incumbant management company appointed by the freehold owner and appoint another, or manage their own.

The member of staff designated to set up our business account was clearly not very inspired by her job, nor particularly interested in what we were doing, or giving us any kind of incentive to see the meeting through.

I completely understand that in the grand scale of things, our company is a stunted minnow when compared with other businesses on HSBC’s books. Annual income is unlikely to top £10k. The point is that the person serving us had no idea what our other business interests are, and did not realise until the end of the meeting that two of us were already personal customers.

It just doesn’t make sense in any economic situation, let alone 2010, that people who are willing to invest any amount of money with a bank should be treated with such disdain.